Aryna Sabalenka successfully completed her revenge mission over Iga Swiatek to win her second Madrid Open title thanks to a pulsating three-set triumph in Saturday's final.
A couple of weeks on from losing to the world number one in the final of the Stuttgart Open, Sabalenka took two hours and 25 minutes to prevail 6-3 3-6 6-3 and add to her Madrid Open title from 2021.
The top-two ranked players gave little away in the opening exchanges, but Sabalenka soon began to turn the screw, bringing up two break points in the sixth game but squandering both of them.
The Australian Open winner continued to ramp up the pressure, though, breaking Swiatek's serve in game eight and winning a set against the Pole on clay for the very first time.
A fired-up Swiatek came out all guns blazing at the beginning of the second set, though, storming into a 3-0 lead before Sabalenka regained her composure to break back and level at 3-3.
However, Swiatek quickly strung together another three-game winning streak to take the final to a decisive third set, where a reverse carbon copy of the second set would propel Sabalenka to victory.
Breaking early for a 3-0 lead, Sabalenka would be the one pegged back to 3-3 this time around, but Swiatek could not keep that momentum going as Sabalenka converted her fourth championship point, sealing the win with a pinpoint cross-court forehand.
The Belarusian now has 13 WTA Tour titles to her name - three of which have been won in 2023 - while Swiatek has lost three of her last six finals after being defeated in just one of her first 11.
Ben Knapton
